Re: Canoe Outriggers/Stabilizers

[Miles]

Per --

That's awesome. A couple questions: where did you get the oarlocks? And when it's just you in the canoe, are the floats touching the water? Do they drag when you're underway?

thanks,
Miles

[Bruce Mathews]

I purchased a set of commercial pontoons some years back for my canoe. 

Here's the link if the imbedded pic didn't come thru  http://store.springcreek.com/Stabilizer-Floats/Stabilizer-Floats-c677/

I have the old style ethafoam cylinders not the more streamlined Polyethylene model - I should have upgraded.  I also have a motor mount from them that fits into the crossbar and hold the 50# electric I use in the canoe.  You can adjust the height of the pontoons based on the weight in the canoe.  I don't like the floats too deep but if they are not in the water when the canoe is flat and stable there is too much rock (side-to-side) for me.  I can stand in the canoe comfortably and actually have a piece of plywood that fits over the gunwales to sit and stand on. Standing up high makes poling the canoe easier.  If I am fishing alone in the canoe I sit backwards in the front seat and move the battery forward to keep both ends of the canoe in the water.  When there are two fishing I move the  floats behind the rear seat.  If you didn't have a motor tied to the floats, the center mount might be best.  My canoe is a 1962 era aluminum flatwater canoe with very few dents.  I picked it up from a TU guy in 1988 and will probably give it to my son (he has two boys 4 & 2).  I think I need something on a trailer - either that canoe is gaining weight or I am just getting old.............

 

Bruce Mathews
703.772.7167

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From: Miles <m...@oppidi.net>
To: tidal-potoma...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2012 8:26 AM
Subject: {Tidal Potomac Fly Rodders} Re: Canoe Outriggers/Stabilizers

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[Per]

Guys,

Thanks for the comments.  I generally prefer not to have the floats touching the water while under way.  While this design allows you to drop the eyebolts low enough to get the floats touching the water at all times, but I am fairly comfortable with a small initial rocking before the float contacts the water.  On improvement I would like to devise is how to drop the eyebolts more easily while in the water (I can do it, but it is really annoying), but, so far, fishing has not been a problem with the minor instability caused by leaving the floats out of the water a bit.  The upside of keeping them out is that they do not slow you down while paddling.  With the oars, I do not notice a big difference between the floats in and out of the water.

 

I got the oarlocks with the canoe, but Old Towne sells them on its website http://store.oldtowncanoe.com/product/0/01.1331.2322/_/Oar_Socket_Kit?pid=1828dd81f0328752f80cb1a0b2087739.  That said, the oars locks are a bit close together for really comfortable rowing, so I may build something like this http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-row-a-canoe-FAST/.

 

~P